(... is a kind of environment ) an environment in which many ideas and races are socially assimilated

(... is a kind of environment ) the local environment

"he hasn't been seen around these parts in years"

Samples where environment or its synonyms are used according to this definition

he longed for the comfortable environment of his living room

(environment is a kind of ...) the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time

"the present international situation is dangerous""wondered how such a state of affairs had come about""eternal truths will be neither true nor eternal unless they have fresh meaning for every new social situation"